Nigeria v Morocco preview
Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has praised the “brotherhood” Nigeria have in-built camp because the Tremendous Eagles goal to proceed their good 2025 Africa Cup of Nations run in opposition to host nation Morocco in Rabat on Wednesday.
The three-time champions have gained all 5 of their video games and stored clear sheets in each of their knockout matches, beating Mozambique 4-0 within the final 16 and Algeria 2-0 within the quarter-finals.
“The workforce has been so sturdy at earlier AFCONs, however [we were] younger and studying about one another,” stated Iwobi, praising boss Eric Chelle.
“I really feel like everybody’s now coming into their prime. There’s a giant unity and a giant household, and that begins from the coach in addition to the gamers. That’s bringing out the very best in me and all of the gamers.”
Morocco coach Walid Regragui believes his gamers raised their ranges due to the added motivation of dealing with fellow heavyweights Cameroon within the quarter-finals, profitable 2-0 with their most convincing show thus far and a fifth purpose in 5 video games from match prime scorer Brahim Diaz.
A 2004 finalist with the Atlas Lions as a participant, Regragui doesn’t need a repeat of what he noticed as a 20-minute drop-off throughout their 1-0 win over appreciable underdogs Tanzania within the final 16.
“We must be mentally sturdy, however an AFCON semi-final forces you to boost your focus and working ranges, in order to not enable Nigeria to breathe and comeback into the sport with their technical and athletic [abilities],” noticed Regragui.
“It’s going to be an excellent take a look at for [Morocco] as properly, as a result of I believe that they haven’t but come throughout a workforce like ours to see what they’re actually price.”
Nigeria v Morocco workforce information
Nigeria midfielder and captain Wilfred Ndidi is banned, so Raphael Onyedika, who scored twice inside six second-half minutes throughout the 3-1 group-stage win over Uganda on December 30, may are available in.
Shiny Osayi-Samuel is a doubt, with Slavia Prague centre-back Igoh Ogbu the potential likeliest substitute for the Birmingham Metropolis wideman.
Ryan Alebiosu, who’s arguably the pure stand-in for Osayi-Samuel, has not featured since struggling a minimize foot on his Nigeria debut in opposition to Uganda throughout their remaining group-stage match on December 30.
Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi will miss the remainder of the match with a calf damage however Regragui stated defender or midfielder Romain Saiss has returned to coaching for the primary time since sustaining a hamstring downside of their opening 2-0 win over Comoros on December 21.
Nigeria v Morocco predicted line-ups
Nigeria beginning XI: Stanley Nwabali, William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Alex Iwobi, Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman
Morocco beginning XI: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, Adam Masina, Noussair Mazraoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Neil El Aynaoui, Ismael Saibari, Brahim Diaz, Ayoub El Kaabi, Abde Ezzalzouli
The way to watch Nigeria v Morocco: TV channel, stay on-line stream
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Within the UK, stay AFCON 2025 protection is on Channel 4’s E4 and All 4. Within the USA, beIN Sports activities is the match broadcaster.
On-line stay streaming is on the market on an enormous vary of units by Channel 4’s website and app and the beIN Sports activities app.
Nigeria v Morocco stats
- That is the groups’ first AFCON assembly in 22 years and the second time they’ve confronted one another in a semi-final on the match
- Nigeria prevailed within the earlier final-four encounter in 1980, triumphing 1-0 by Felix Owolabi’s ninth-minute winner en path to their first title
- They’ve confronted the host or co-host nation on 10 earlier events (W3 D3 L4)
- On the final version of the finals, Nigeria beat hosts Ivory Coast 1-0 throughout the group stage however misplaced the ultimate to them 2-1
- When Victor Osimhen has scored or assisted, Nigeria have by no means misplaced an AFCON match (W5 D2)
- Morocco gained the fixture twice throughout the group phases on their approach to their first and solely title thus far in 1976
- That is the twelfth match between the groups total. Morocco have six wins to Nigeria’s three, with two attracts
- Morocco’s whole of 5 targets from set-pieces is probably the most through that technique of any workforce on the 2025 AFCON
- Having turn out to be the primary Morocco participant to attain in 4 straight video games at a single AFCON match, Actual Madrid’s Diaz prolonged his personal file by netting in opposition to Cameroon
